Taxi

The men stood in a group. Right underneath the sign for taxis. One of them asked me if I was looking for one.

This was all in French. I'm translating.

He guided me to an elevator, which confused me because I thought the taxis were just outside the door they were standing by. 

It was time. Time to make my first full sentence to a stranger in French. 

"C'est pas cette porte?" 

He told me we had to go down the elevator.

He was right.

On the ground he started trying to help me with my luggage.

"Ça va."

I didn't want some stranger carrying my luggage.

It took me a second to realize he was a taxi driver. He motioned me toward his car, parked alongside all of the other taxis. He placed my luggage in, and I noticed another taxi driver (I think) arguing with him and moving the car door back and forth. The door was too close—it could hit the other guy's car. 

Finally, my driver got in then swerved the car into a nearby parking spot next to another taxi driver (I assume). He began to get out of the car. 

Now what?

I asked something like "Il ya des problèmes?" 

He said it was with the other car. Just like that, the hood was open, and I think he gave the other car a jump start. 

When that was over, we finally got to the transportation part. I told him I was going to Malakoff. I started to read the address, but he motioned for me to just hand it to him.

And that early Wednesday morning in a pretty sketchy taxi (it was missing the taxi sign on top) I had my first conversation in France.

It started out simple.

"Vous aimez conduire les taxis?"

He smiled and said something along the lines of "well, it's work." 

I can't exactly remember the order of our conversation now. I'm trying to remember if he said anything in English. No more than a few words, I think. Early on he asked me something and I had no idea what he meant. Something about my flight and the U.S.  

I said "Comment?"

And now, I would like to stop and thank Janelle Lyons for teaching me that expression. I have used it every day, Janelle. Thank you.

"Comment" is like saying "Repetez s'il vous plait" without sounding stupid and "Quoi" without sounding rude. 

I mean, you don't sound stupid the first time. I said it so many times I couldn't have possibly stayed under the "I'm not stupid" quota. 

Anyways, after a bit of confusion I decided he was asking me when I arrived from the U.S. Maybe. Can't remember. I was wondering how he knew my flight was from the U.S. I realized later my luggage was marked by U.S. Airways. 

Early on I ended up telling him I didn't speak French very well. He was super nice about it. He said it was fine because he could understand me. 

I asked where he was from. He was born in France, but his parents came from Mali.

Andddd stop. Little history lesson. There are a good amount of black people in Paris. France had quite a few African colonies back in the day, so there are many Francophone Africans in France (and Africa). Although I think many blacks are born in France, it wouldn't be farfetched to say a great deal are second generation from African immigrants. 

So, back to our conversation. We talked about music, life, traffic.

In fact, I learned the word for traffic on the ride, (which I remember started with a "b" but honestly had to look up again right now), "bouchon."

As our conversation progressed, I finally thought to ask his name.

"Amady." 

"Aw mah dee?"

"Amady."

Then, he whipped out either his credit or debit card and showed me the spelling. Let's not talk about his last name. Yikes. I think it started with an "M."

I gave him my first name when he asked. No grand debit card display.

He gave me his number and said something along the lines of calling him if I needed a friend to talk with in France, which was great because I want to practice my speaking. 

I think He said something about letting people in the United States know about the friend I met of Malian heritage. 

I said "Je dirai mes amis."

He laughed. 

Around this time in the conversation, I skipped the formalities and began using "tu."

I can't remember who asked how old the other was. Amady was 24, I believe. Because I'm 20 I said something along the lines of "pas beaucoup de difference. 

He said something I did not understand at all. Then he explained. 

The expression stuck with me at the moment.

He said a girl of 20 years is like a guy of 30 years. He began a long explanation about how guys "faire des bêtisses."

Earlier in the ride, he made a comment about "Les Arabes" and how they "faire des bêtisses."

Even though I thought "whoa he just said that" I remembered my older sister telling me about someone saying something along those lines when she visited France. I wanted to laugh. Oh, Janelle how right you are. 

Amady likes American music. I think he mentioned Jay-Z and Beyoncé, but when he asked me if I listened to Justin Timberlake, we both gushed about how great his new album is. 

Ahh yes. This part. I was just reading over this post when I remembered this happened. So now I'm adding it.

So, we were talking about rap music, and Amady asked me if I knew Icon.

"Icon?"

Then he explained he was an artist of African ascent, did some songs with 50 cent...

"Icon?"

Finally it clicked. 

"Ohhhhhh. Akon!"

We talked about siblings, my studies, all that. It took him a while to find Malakoff. Unlike the other students in the program, I actually live in a suburb outside of Paris, even though my classes are in the city. I'm technically not in an arrondissement. 

 He told me it would take two hours because of all the traffic. 

Riding through the streets of France, I could hardly believe I was there (here). Tired, jet lagged, sometimes I would stop conversing and just stare out the window while trying not to feel sick.

When it got quiet like this, Amady would wait a spell.

"Jenna?"

"Oui?" 

"Ça va?"

"Oui, ça va."

It happened a few times.

"Mademoiselle Jenna. Princesse Jenna. Ça va?"

Later, he said "je fais pipi" and asked me if I knew what that meant.

"Les toilettes?"

He swerved to a space on the right and walked into some place. Maybe a brasserie.

It didn't take long, but I was wondering if he kept the meter on.

I had no idea and didn't know how to ask, so whatever. 

I had to get to Malakoff, and this was my way to get there. 

Throughout the ride, Amady had a habit of saying "tu as comprends?" after everything he said. It was thoughtful. He made sure I wasn't completely lost.

Amady, on the other hand, might have been. He put the address into his GPS but he got a little confused at one point. I think he was asking me to type the address again on the GPS, but I didn't understand until he emphasized the verb "taper," so he just did it himself while driving. 

Somehow, we reached my host mom's house. 

He said "cent vingt euros."

I didn't register the number at first. I was more concerned with getting my money out of my purse. I asked him again, and he gave the same reply. I'll put it in numbers for you guys.

 "120€."

I don't think I'm gonna call him. 

P.S.
Omg. I just realized the third to last line unintentionally rhymes. Righteous.